Ninja In Love
by LaughingLefou
Summary: Jaune never really considered Blake to be a close friend. Sure, she was still a friend in general, but they never really interacted closely with each other. However, after an embarrassing secret of his is revealed to the Faunus, Jaune is starting to wonder if he preferred it that way… (Rated M just to be on the safe side.)
1. Chapter 1

_I do not own RWBY. That belongs to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum, may his soul rest in peace._

 **Ninja In Love**

 **Chapter 1: Literary Likelyhood**

Jaune Arc was a man of many hobbies. Video games, reading, and surprisingly, fighting. However, there were a few hobbies of his that he was loathe to admit. Few people knew of them, as he liked to keep them hidden for fear of mockery and social ostracism. He got picked on enough at Beacon as it were, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't disheartened by the fact that people kept referring to his name as a euphemism for screwing up. 'Pulling a Jaune,' was the phrase people like to use in the hallways, and many didn't even bother to hide it when he was around. Oum only knew how bad things would get if they figured out what he enjoyed doing in his spare time.

It was his sister's faults, really. They were the ones who pushed him to get into said hobbies, and while one might generously say that Jaune was a talented individual, the talents he exhibited were not ones that most would associate with a legendary hero. After all, one rarely hears of a hero going about cooking, sewing or gardening. Sure, he was certain that his teammates wouldn't mind, but he could only shudder to think about how much teasing Yang would put him through should he reveal those little tidbits to her. Weiss would certainly think less of him (if that was even possible) and while he was sure that Ruby and Blake wouldn't be giving him a rough time of it, they'd certainly be giggling about it behind closed doors.

So he kept his little hobbies hidden. If his hoodie got torn, or his shirts got a hole in them, they'd mysteriously become patched the next day. There was a little garden that _someone_ was taking care of within eyesight of Team JNPR's dorm room, and every so often, Jaune would offer to cook pancakes for Nora instead of Ren in order to give the poor beleaguered man a break. No one was any the wiser. His scheduling even gave him a little free time to indulge his less than 'manly' hobbies as he had a free period when every other person he interacted with was in class.

There was one hobby however, that shamed him above all others. One that he'd rather die than ever reveal. It was a guilty pleasure in every sense of the term. Even during his free period, he hid himself in places he was certain no one would find him, just in case one of his teammates happened to get out of class early, or even not go at all. To him, it was a secret that would utterly destroy him socially, leaving him humiliated for all time in the annuls of Beacon.

Jaune Arc loved romance novels.

Like the others, his sisters were to blame for his love of the sappy romance novels. When he had been but a small boy, he'd been curious about what his sisters and mother seemed to be reading so happily, and one of his sisters, Cassandra Arc, had been generous enough to lend him her copy of, "Sapphire Stars," It was a novel in which a young knight working for a cruel king fell in love with his daughter and the two carried on a secret affair behind the king's back. It had drama, action, suspense, and yes, he even enjoyed the romantic parts of it as he grew older. The ideals of the knight spoke volumes to Jaune at a young age, bolstered by the tales of the Arcs of old, who seemed to encompass those ideas as well.

So it was little wonder why after that first book, Jaune found himself growing quite addicted to a good romantic read. Part of him did curse the books though, for leading him to believe such things as serenading a girl with music would help her fall in love with him, as his experiences with Weiss disproved. Still, bad advice or not, Jaune wouldn't stop reading them for the world. His collection was modest, nothing more than a half dozen books, but they were his favorites. He favored the ones that took place in the ages of Chivalry, with knights in shining armor and beautiful damsels. Although those wasn't the only ones he loved; he had a couple that had more scholarly male leads with fierce and beautiful female warriors. Either way, the tenderness between the characters was something that Jaune had always wished he could share with another. After the fiasco with Weiss however, he'd started to feel as though such a thing would never pass for him.

So he'd rush back to his books, living vicariously through the leads of said novels, enjoying the heroism and tender romanticism displayed within. As explained earlier though, it was still a guilty pleasure and he did his best to make sure that _no one_ ever found out about it. He'd never tell a soul; not even Pyrrha! He'd rather admit to the school that he'd forged his transcripts than ever tell anyone about his most embarrassing hobby.

It was for this reason that Jaune Arc was currently hiding in a small, hidden nook in Beacon's Library, gazing suspiciously around as though he were some sort of smuggler hiding from the police. The area he'd found a while back when looking for good reading spots, was a secluded corner that Jaune assumed had been a mistake in building as it was off to the side of the main library, hidden from view by bookshelves and such. It was only about ten feet by ten feet or so, just enough room for him to lay out and read. Even the entrance was in a good spot for him, letting him see the shadows of anyone approaching so he could quickly hide his latest novel from view, replacing it with an innocuous comic book that no one would be surprised to see him reading from.

The blond Hunter-in-Training had managed to even sneak in a beanbag chair for more comfortable reading, as well as a reading lap to illuminate the darkened corner of the library for easier reading. Relaxed, and sure that no one was nearby, (In fact, the library seemed empty save for him and the librarian at her desk) he opened up his book, "Shining Steel" and flipped to the dog-eared page that he'd folded in order to save his place.

 _"His arms wrapped around her thin frame, gazing into her blue eyes as the moonlight illuminated her pale, silky skin. Silence lay between the two of them, but no words needed to be spoken. The young knight's heart was beating rapidly in his chest, but it was different from battle. It was the best kind of suspense, the anticipation of something incredible. Her lips, full and red, inched closer to his own, pulled by a force that neither of them were capable of denying. He could feel her heart beating quickly as well, but by how her hand rested against the back of his head, pulling him closer, he could tell that she felt as he did, eager and willing to take the next step..."_

Jaune smiled as he read on, feeling his own heart pounding in his chest as though he were taking place in the story. He fervently wished he could feel as the knight in the story did, the sweet anticipation of being with a loved one under the silvery light of the moon. If anyone could read his thoughts, he was certain he'd die of embarrassment, but he couldn't help it. The hopeless romantic within ate it all up. Lips still upturned in enjoyment, Jaune flipped the page and read on…

* * *

Blake Belladona loved the library. It was her home away from home, and she spent just as much time amongst the bookshelves and the tables of the library. Her love of books was a well known thing, especially her Ninjas in Love series. Sure, people decried it as 'smut,' but she quickly corrected them. It was art! Just because there were some intense...love making scenes, but it didn't make it smut! However, she got tired of people judging her love of the books, so she found herself often reading her favorite series of books hidden within the Library. Seeing how she also loved solitude, the beautiful cat Faunus loved her favorite spot in the Library above all else. The Nook. The small, hidden, most likely a mistake in building corner of the library that hid her from view and gave her a small modicum of solace.

Although it appeared to her that she wasn't the only one who enjoyed that little peaceful place; someone had left a beanbag chair there. She wasn't going to complain, a comfortable seat with which to read on was certainly welcome. She'd definitely have to thank whoever it was that put it there, as well as the reading lamp. Thinking on it, she'd have to contribute something to the little Nook too, just as a thank you to her mysterious benefactor and fellow book lover.

Today had been a grueling day. Combat class had seen her forced to fight against Cardin, which, while not a tough fight, was certainly a draining one what with his attitude. He thought he was a greater man than he actually was, always trying to impress everyone. She managed to completely thrash him, humiliating him, but his glare that he gave her at the end of the fight made Blake think twice about crossing paths with him. The last thing she needed was _him_ of all people finding out that she was a Faunus. He was a well known racist, and she did _not_ want to have to deal with his harassment.

Professor Port's class wasn't any easier. He was annoyingly boring as per usual, filling the student's heads with constant drivel in which small nuggets of wisdom might be gleaned if one was insane enough to actually want to listen. Luckily she sat nearby Weiss, who took meticulous notes, and after having convinced her, allowed her to copy off her notes. She was happy that the Schnee heiress was actually quite kind, when one managed to delve deep enough. Still, the entire period went on _far_ too long and she felt exhausted when it was over.

So when it came time to go to Professor Oobleck's class, she found that she simply couldn't bring herself to actually go that day. His speech was far too quick and hard to follow, and she wasn't the only one who wondered how the hell he got a teaching license. He was quite the Hunter, for sure, but as a Professor, he leaved much to be desired. For that reason, Blake decided to instead take the period off and for once, hide herself in her favorite nook and read some Ninjas in Love. The Library was unsurprisingly empty, as most students didn't have that particular chunk of time off of class. Blake quietly made her way to the corner of the library, but not before exchanging greetings with the librarian.

Her footfalls were silent, not out of purpose, but simply out of force of habit. As an ex-Infiltrator for the White Fang, old habits were hard to break and moving stealthily everywhere she went was one of those. Her Faunus nature also helped in remaining quiet. As she approached her favorite spot of the library, she noticed something that stopped her in her tracks. There was a light, faint but still visible, emanating from the nook, as though someone were using the reading lamp supplied within. Was her reading companion occupying the nook as well? Well, perhaps they wouldn't mind sharing the space. It was just big enough for two people, and perhaps she could even talk about their favorite reading material!

Blake stepped forward purposefully, ready to greet a possible new friend, and stopped once more when her gaze crossed the corner separating the nook from the rest of the library. Sitting on a beanbag, book in hand and a smile gracing his face, was Jaune. This was a surprise, especially since Blake knew that Jaune was an avid reader of comic books, but what was in his hand was an honest to goodness novel! Her surprise however was only increased further when she noticed the title of the book in his hands. "Shining Steel," was one of the first romance novels she'd ever read while she was still with the White Fang, a beautiful piece of work. It wasn't quite the masterpiece that Ninjas in Love was, at least in her opinion, but it was still a very lovely impressive work to be fair.

Romance novels though? She never expected Jaune of all people to enjoy romance novels, but it was certainly a heartening prospect. They actually had something in common, something that they could talk about. She didn't dislike Jaune, not in the least, but they never really interacted too much. She knew he knew of her Faunus nature, and the fact that he treated her no differently and no less kindly than before was certainly a plus in her book. Still, they never really talked a lot, and Blake wasn't against the idea of befriending him further, and if this was something they could talk about, she'd be glad to find someone else who enjoyed reading.

"Jaune?" Blake spoke up, letting a small smile grace her lips.

She swore she never saw Jaune move that quickly before. So quickly, in fact, that the book literally seemed to have vanished from view in a split second. "B-B-B-B-BLAKE!" Jaune shouted in shock, his face going pale. "W-w-w-what are you d-doing here?!" He squeaked out, blue eyes glancing back and forth in surprise.

"Was that...'Shining Steel?'" Blake queried, raising an eyebrow.

"N-no-I mean, what's that?!" Jaune looked extremely nervous, his hands behind his back.

Blake wasn't normally a malicious person, nor did she really enjoy teasing, but in the given situation, she couldn't help herself. "Oh? Then what exactly was that?"

"It...was..a...comic book!" Jaune replied unconvincingly, laughing nervously.

"Really? Awfully thick for a comic book...what's behind your back?"

Jaune gave another very unconvincing laugh, shrugging in what he assumed was to be a nonchalant manner. "N-nothing! J-just relaxing!"

"Then let me see your hand." Blake murmured, trying hard to keep her smile from growing wider. She was staring to understand Yang's enjoyment out of teasing the poor blond boy. It was almost...did she dare say, cute?

Jaune, still nervously chuckling, slowly withdrew his right hand from behind his back, holding it out empty-handed. "See? N-nothing!"

"And your other hand?" Blake continued to smirk, leaning against the wall of the nook.

The young man sighed and put his right hand away before pulling out his left hand and holding it out empty handed as well. "T-told you, I've got nothing!"

"...Both hands." Blake demanded, unable to keep herself from smiling wickedly and knowingly.

Jaune groaned and after a few moments of pausing, pulled out his right hand to join the left, holding it open with nothing inside of it. "A-alright, there's nothing there, and I _really_ should be going now..." He slowly got to his feet and began to shuffle around Blake, keeping his back to her.

The cat Faunus gave a smile that could be very accurately described as a 'cat smile,' and with almost blurring speed, she slid around Jaune, grabbing something that had been stuffed into the waistband of his pants. She ignored Jaune's strangled cry of panic and gazed down at the object. She had been absolutely correct. It was "Shining Steel." She turned to Jaune who'd gone pale as a sheet, holding up the novel. "Doesn't look like any comic book I've ever seen..."

Jaune dropped to his knees, clasping his hands as if in prayer. "Please, please, you can't tell anyone, I'm begging you Blake!"

Blake rolled her eyes. "Come on...it's not that bad. Romance novels are great, there's no shame in liking them."

"You don't understand!" Jaune cried out, "For a guy, it's humiliating! My social life already sucks with how much I suck in combat, but if people find out I like reading romance novels...I'm screwed! People already make fun of me and use my name as an insult! Please, Blake, I'm begging you! I'll do anything!"

Blake sighed and tossed the book up in the air nonchalantly, catching it with ease. "Look, Jaune, if it's that big of a deal, I'll-" She stopped. Jaune...liked romance novels? "Do...do you have more of these?"

Jaune looked nervously around, wringing his hands. "Er...maybe?"

"Tell me the truth, Jaune." Blake chastised gently, smirking again.

The blond sighed and hung his head on his knees. "Six of them."

Blake nodded, deep in thought. "Hm...interesting..." If there was something that the cat Faunus was slightly sad about, it was the fact that she had no one to talk about her favorite series with. No one else in Beacon seemed to enjoy Ninjas in Love. This might be a chance though, to find someone with similar tastes to chat with for once. "Alright. Here's the deal."

Jaune heard the soft _thwumph_ of something hitting the ground near his kneeling form and he looked to see a black book with gold text near by. The title was "Ninjas in Love." He picked it up and stared up at Blake with a curious look. "Wait, huh?"

"You like romance novels, right? Ninjas in Love is my favorite series of romance novels. I want you to read that and let me know what you think of it, and I say nothing to anyone about your hobby. Not Yang, not anyone. It'll be our little secret." Blake explained, putting one arm akimbo, holding Jaune's novel in the other hand.

"I...I could do that. Sure. I've never read it before, but I'm willing to give new things a try. You say it's good?" Jaune looked less panicky than previous, staring at the novel curiously.

"The best." Blake confirmed.

Jaune got up off the ground and affixed Blake with a nervous grin. "Sure. I'll try to finish it by the end of the week. Sound good?"

Blake nodded. "Works for me. You can start now, if you'd like. Oh, and if you don't mind, I want to borrow this," she held up "Shining Steel," "It was one of the first novels I read, and I'd like to read it again."

"Sure, not a problem. Glad to see someone else who enjoys it." Jaune seemed much more relaxed.

"Oh, one more thing." Blake added.

"Er...yeah?"

"Did you add all this stuff here?" Blake asked curiously.

"Yeah...I kinda use this place to read my novels when I'm on my free period in between classes." Jaune sheepishly scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh. Well, thanks. I've made some use of it myself. I quite like this little area."

Jaune nodded. "I-I can leave if you'd like..."

Blake shook her head. "No, it's fine. I don't mind having a reading partner, to be honest."

"Thanks. You can have the beanbag chair, if you'd like." Jaune replied.

Blake smiled. "Thanks Jaune. That's...gentlemanly of you."

With that, the two sat down, Jaune against the wall and Blake atop the beanbag chair, and the two began to read, both of them diving into their respective fantasy worlds of love, and drama.

Little did either of them know that they'd soon be experiencing such events firsthand…

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: There ya go, the first chapter of Ninja In Love! Knightshade for the win! Hope you all enjoy this, as I stayed up WAAAAAY later than I should have finishing this, on a night before work. Why? 'Cause I love you crazy folks! I hope to keep entertaining you all, and look forward to a new Moonlit Sonata hopefully soon!**_

 _ **And as always, remember to leave a review!**_


	2. Reading Regrets

_I do not own RWBY._

 **Ninja In Love**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Reading Regrets**

* * *

It had been one week since Jaune and Blake's fateful encounter in the library, and if there was one emotion that Jaune could say with certainty he was feeling at the moment, it was regret.

Why?

He was loathe to admit it, mainly because he didn't want to have to tell Blake, but…

Well…

"Ninjas In Love," was tripe. It was tripe on a tripe sandwich. It was tripe on a tripe sandwich with a side order of tripe and tripe to drink. He was seriously regretting having not paid attention to anyone sneaking up on him and his secret being revealed. What could he do though? He didn't want to risk earning Blake's ire and having her tell his horrible secret to everyone. Still…

"Ninjas In Love" started off alright. The problems however, started off with the main male lead: Musashi. In Jaune's opinion (and he knew this was the pot calling the kettle black) Musashi was a dork. He was a swordsman who had dreams of becoming a legendary ninja, and so managed to sneak his way into a ninja academy by tricking the Headmaster into thinking he was more skilled in the art of stealth and subterfuge than he actually was. Musashi was clumsy, inept and socially awkward, and _this_ was coming from Jaune, so that had to have been bad!

However, even Jaune had to admit that after the first few chapters, it actually improved. The main romantic paring (at least that's what he _thought_ it was) was between Musashi, and a very skilled and beautiful shinobi girl by the name of Tsukihime. She'd figured out that Musashi wasn't actually who he said he was, but instead of ratting him out, she actually went out of her way to help Musashi, and thus began a tender romance that Jaune was seriously getting into. Tsukihime was kind, understanding and almost motherly in her care of Musashi, but there was also a romantic interest. The passages about their moonlight training together were filled with her thoughts of how much she adored and loved Musashi's kindness and noble spirit.

As the story progressed, Jaune found himself actually diving into it, (although Musashi's character did make that hard, but even he could admit that Musashi was, at the very least, a good person at heart) and really enjoying the closeness that Musashi and Tsukihime were sharing…

Then Shinobu entered the picture and everything started to go downhill.

Shinobu was a half-oni ninja who used to belong to some evil ninja clan, but defected from it when she couldn't bear the thought of harming innocents. She ended up sneaking into the ninja academy as well, and from what Jaune could tell, seemed to be a background character. That was until the halfway mark.

Suddenly out of nowhere, Shinobu started taking a very... _intense_ interest in Musashi. There was no build up, no warning signs, nothing! One minute, she's barely talking to him or acknowledging him, the next second she's accosting him in empty training rooms, tying him up and-

Jaune figured that the author of the book either needed to get laid desperately, or needed to _stop_ getting laid. Either way, they had one hell of a perverted mindset. The second half of the book was sex scene after sex scene between Shinobu and Musashi, the poor guy so nervous that he seemed like he _couldn't_ say no. Not to mention, that put a damper on the relationship between Musashi and Tsukihime. Oh, sure, Tsukihime tried to do the same thing, but the attempt just fell flat and only served to drive Musashi closer to Shinobu.

By the time he managed to finish the last word of the last page, Jaune was seriously tempted to find the author, sit them down and proceed to beat them around the head with the largest ruler he could find lying about Beacon and yelling "Bad pervert!" at them until they realized their mistake and started writing good romance for once! In fact, Jaune wondered who the hell the author was, now that he thought about it. He flipped the evil little book over in his hand, its gold text illuminated by the reading lamp that was one of the only two pieces of furniture in the Nook. _Cassie Arch...huh. Why does that name sound familiar?_ He shook his head. It didn't matter. The fact was, Blake would be coming soon to their little reading spot, and she'd want to know what he thought.

Maybe he could fudge it. Tell Blake that he liked it. No, he couldn't do that. She'd know he was lying through his teeth. Maybe he could say that it was just okay? She might be disappointed, but she might not be angry if he simply said it was 'alright.'

Jaune sighed and groaned. He just hoped Blake was in a good mood. In fact, he was sort of hoping that Blake wouldn't decide to show up at all. Not that he had anything against the cat Faunus. He just wished that they'd found anything else to have in common besides a love of romance novels. _As if this tripe could be even considered a romance novel…seriously Blake, for someone who loves 'Shining Steel,' you've certainly got some poor taste in other literature…_

Jaune's blue eyes noticed a flicker of movement, a shadow moving in the corner of his vision. He swallowed. It was do or die time. He continued staring as Blake stepped into view and almost winced. She looked...happy? Definitely excited. _Oh dear Oum...was she looking forward to this?_ "H-hey Blake..." Jaune managed to spit out, getting off the beanbag chair to let Blake sit down.

"Thanks Jaune." Blake replied, sitting down onto the vacated chair. She settled herself in comfortably, Jaune staring at her from the corner of his eye. He'd never really paid much attention to her before, but now that he watched her stretching languidly out on the beanbag chair, he had to admit, she was very attractive. Not that he thought she was particularly unattractive at first, but now that he actually got a good eyeful, she was more attractive than he first gave her credit for. He hated to admit it, as it made him feel a bit strange fixating upon it, but when he mentally placed her ears over her bow, he found the effect incredibly cute. "So." She started when she finished getting comfy, "What did you think?"

Jaune fought the urge to grimace and he began to try to find the right words to speak, his tone slightly hesitant as he spoke. "Well...the...um...the setting was interesting..."

Blake leaned in slightly, looking...excited? "And?"

"Um...well...the action scenes...the few that were in there were...um...nice..." He found he couldn't look her in the eye. Why did she have to look so eager to hear his opinion? Was she really looking for someone else who liked the book that much?

"And?" Blake leaned even closer, leaving Jaune stammering his next answer.

"I-I um...I l-liked the...er..." He looked nervously about, his eyes repeatedly flickering back and forth. Finally, he could take her happy eagerness no more. "I...I can't do this." He hung his head, defeated by his own conscience.

"What do you mean?" Blake tilted her head, frowning. "You _did_ read it, didn't you?"

Jaune raised his hands nodding hard in a panic. "Yes, I did! I just..."

"What?"

"I...don't like it." Jaune hung his head once more with a deep sigh.

"W-what?! How can you not like it?! It's near perfect!" Blake exclaimed, gold eyes wide.

"D-don't get me wrong! I liked the first half, it's just...it went downhill after that!" Jaune tried to explain.

Blake twitched, looking incredulous. "B-b-but that was when it started getting really good! The romance between Shinobu and Musashi was beautiful and heart-pounding!"

Jaune shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I disliked it. It came out of nowhere! At least Musashi and Tsukihime had build up and connections! Shinobu just decided out of nowhere that she wanted Musashi for no reason!"

Blake huffed. "That's not true! Shinobu fell in love with Musashi because he was a kind and noble soul; a non-judgmental, kind, sweet and trustworthy person who she never had before in her life! It's not surprising that she fell so in love with him!" Jaune was surprised at Blake. He'd never seen her this animated before. In fact, he'd even be willing to put Lien down on a bet with Yang that neither had she. Jaune felt even worse about having to stay how much he disliked the story, seeing how much it seemed to mean to Blake, but he just couldn't lie about it.

"First of all, Musashi is a dork."

Blake fixed Jaune with a very dull stare for a few moments before Jaune sighed and deadpanned. "Really?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, 'glass houses,' and all that. Second, she never showed that! Hell, they rarely ever talked! They knew pretty much nothing about each other! I wasn't surprised that Musashi was so shocked the first time Shinobu decided to-" Jaune cut himself off, cheeks going pink from embarrassment as he remembered the first overly described sex scene.

"They didn't need to! Shinobu had used her stealth to study Musashi and realized what a kind, sweet person he was!"

Jaune groaned. "I was always taught that stalking was a bad thing."

Blake crossed her arms, frowning. "It...it's different!" Her pink cheeks and the fact that she seemed unable to look Jaune in the eye while saying it seemed to prove otherwise.

"Look...I'm sorry, but I just couldn't get into it..." Jaune answered, throwing up his hands in surrender.

Blake stared at him for a few moments, before giving a light sigh herself and slowly standing up, beginning to walk away. Jaune froze, watching her start to walk off. He found that he really didn't want her to leave; this was the first time they ever really discussed something, and he was sort of hoping that it might even end up with them being friends. "H-hey..." he nervously brought up, trying to get Blake's attention.

She stopped and turned around. "Don't worry, I'm not going to say anything about your choice in reading." Her expression was almost sad, as though she was just as disappointed in the fact that their conversation faltered as much as it did.

"Wait, that's not it!" Jaune quickly answered.

"Oh, right." Blake reached into her school bag and pulled out Jaune's copy of "Shining Steel." "You probably want this back."

"No, that's not it!" Jaune cried out, holding out a hand.

The cat Faunus cocked an eyebrow. "Then what is it?"

Jaune sighed. "L-look...I know that we don't agree on "Ninjas In Love," but...you did say you like "Shining Steel," right? There's other stories that I'm a fan of...I'm just saying, we don't really talk a whole lot and...well...I guess I'd like to get to know you a little more." Jaune looked up at Blake from his spot against the wall, hoping that he wasn't acting desperate or anything.

Blake blinked and gave a small smile. "You're right. I'm sorry. Honestly, I'd like that too." She walked back into the little Nook and sat back down. "I guess it's just...well, "Ninjas In Love" was my favorite story because of Musashi and Shinobu. I always kind of identified with Shinobu for...reasons."

Tilting his head in confusion, Jaune replied, "What about Musashi? What's so special about him?"

"When I was younger I...really didn't have a lot of people I could trust." Blake looked away from Jaune, her gaze distant and unfocused as she found herself dredging up memories. "When I read "Ninjas In Love," I found Musashi to be...well, the kind of person I wish I could be with. The kind of person I could trust, who'd stay by me no matter what. Ever since then, I've wanted someone like Musashi as well...as a mate."

Jaune nodded. "I'm..." he stopped himself. He was about to say he was sorry to hear that, but thinking on it for once, he realized that Blake probably shared the same opinion Jaune did about people feeling sorry for him. She probably did not want any pity. "I'm...sorry for sounding like I've been insulting "Ninjas In Love," then. It may not be the story for me, but my opinion isn't the end all, be all. If you enjoy it, then ignore what I say and just enjoy it."

Blake nodded. "That's alright. I'm still surprised that you of all people read romance novels. I mean, it just kind of seems out of character for you."

Jaune sheepishly grinned. "Where do you think I got the idea to...erm...serenade Weiss?"

"I'd forgotten about that until now..." Blake answered, trying to fight back a fit of laughter out of sympathy.

"I wish I could. I felt so embarrassed..." Jaune raised his knees and balanced his arms and head upon them.

"Well," Blake began, disguising a laugh with a fake cough, "Everyone has their embarrassing moments."

Jaune picked up his head just long enough to murmur, "Yeah, but do I have to have so many?" His head dropped back down, dejected.

"Look, at least you've learned your lesson. I mean, Weiss seems more friendly to you lately and I think it's because you stopped trying to hit on her." Blake explained in an attempt to try to comfort the blond.

This time, Jaune didn't bother to lift his head. Instead he groaned into his arms. "Might as well just give up on the dating scene altogether."

Blake grimaced. She was very glad that Pyrrha wasn't around; the poor Spartan would be very upset if she heard that. The cat Faunus found it both slightly irritating and sad that Pyrrha seemed content to simply sit back and wait for Jaune to suddenly find an interest in her. Whether Jaune didn't have an interest, or simply just assumed himself out of her league, Blake was certain that Pyrrha would be waiting quite a while for this to come to pass. It didn't help that Jaune was, to put it mildly, socially oblivious. "I...wouldn't go that far Jaune. Maybe you're just looking at all of this from the wrong angle."

Jaune looked up again and shook his head. "Look, it's fine. I have more things to worry about than finding a date, anyway. Just trying to keep up with all of you guys is a full time job as it is." His blue eyes flickered to the side, avoiding Blake's gaze.

The cat Faunus frowned. There was something wrong, she could tell. She herself was like that; never wanting to reveal if there was a problem, preferring to keep it bottled up inside until she could find the strength to deal with it. However, if there was one thing that her time with team RWBY had taught her, was that having someone to share their problems really did help in the long run. Holding ones problems inside ate away at you until you broke from it. On the other hand, she didn't like butting into the problems of others. She tended to ignore the issues of others, as she had enough of her own to deal with. Her gaze turned down to the book in her hands; Jaune's copy of "Shining Steel."

 _"Humans...if they do not attempt to crush us; to rule over us, they ignore our pleas for aid, turning a blind eye to the injustices we face. Why then, should we care about their problems? Don't worry yourself with them, Blake. They are not worth it."_

Blake inwardly winced. Adam's voice dredged itself up from her memory; a long forgotten remembrance from when she was a young girl. One of the first lessons she'd learned from him. Now, however...she looked back up into Jaune's eyes. At first glance, it simply looked like he was deep in thought, but the way the corner of his lips turned down, and the way he kept clenching his right hand into a fist told a different story. "I...is something wrong, Jaune?"

Jaune's eyes suddenly focused on her, his face breaking out into a nervous smile. He scratched the back of his neck and gave a nervous laugh. "Er, no, no, I was just...thinking about..." He paused, his lips twitched. "Stuff," Jaune finished lamely.

"Stuff." Blake repeated, deadpan.

"It's nothing that big, really. I-it's actually kinda stupid, really." Jaune murmured. "A-anyway, so d-do you have any other novels you'd recommend? I mean, I may not have been that big into Ninjas In Love, but maybe we share an interest in another series?"

Blake rolled her eyes at Jaune's obvious attempt at changing the subject, but decided not to push it. If Jaune was really that insistent on not revealing what was wrong, then she wasn't going to force it out of him. She'd leave that for Pyrrha to do; the girl certainly seemed pushy when it came to finding out anything that Jaune was upset or nervous about. "Actually..."

"Yeah?"

"There was more than one book in the Ninjas In Love series..." Blake began.

"Blake, if I didn't like the first one, what makes you think I want to read the rest?" Jaune groaned.

"But the sequels delve deeper into the relationship between Shinobu and Musashi! Really, it's an amazing paring, you really should give it a chance!" Blake tried to convince him, forgetting about the Jaune's earlier issue in an instant.

"Look, I'm not saying anything against Shinobu, but...I just can't really get behind Musashi. Nothing against your taste in guys, but he's just not the kind of main character I like reading about. I much prefer Sir Al'Aran from 'Shining Steel.'" Jaune answered, trying to mollify Blake.

The catgirl sighed. "Alright. I'll drop it. _For now._ " Her lips upturned even as Jaune gave yet another groan of frustration. There was a low buzz at Blake's hip and she pulled out her Scroll, frowning slightly. "Ugh. Yang got out of class and already wants to get in more combat practice."

Jaune nodded. "Right. You should probably get going." He got up off the floor and stretched before turning to Blake, who'd gotten up as well. "Hey...do you think we can still read together?"

Blake nodded. "Sure. Would you mind if I borrowed some of your other books?"

Jaune smiled. "Definitely."

"Thanks. I'll talk to you later during dinner." With that, Blake walked off, leaving Jaune behind who'd picked back up "Shining Steel," flipping through it to finish his read of it. Blake left the library, making her way through the halls of Beacon. Maybe she could convince Yang to take it easy for a while; she really wasn't in the mood to fight at the moment. At the very least, maybe she could convince Ruby to take over for her. However, while she quickly made her way from the library to the Training Grounds, a thought suddenly occurred to her.

 _It's odd that Jaune doesn't like Musashi that much. I mean, he's quite the dork himself. You'd think that Jaune could put himself in Musashi's shoes since they're so much alike-_

She froze, her eyes widening. _What am I thinking?! T-they're nothing alike! Musashi is a brave, noble soul! A kind, warm-hearted and loyal man!_ Blake shook her head vehemently, trying to dislodge the thought. _I mean, just because the both of them can be awkward and dorky doesn't mean that they're anything alike!_ She continued walking, frowning. The idea was just ridiculous! Laughable, even!

…

Right?

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Ta-daa! Another chapter! Look forward to another chapter of Immortal, and my next (and last, for the time being) new fic! It's an idea I haven't even added to the idea list, so you'll just have to wait and find out what it is!**_

 _ **As far as this chapter (and hell, this fic in general goes) I've never actually written a romance fic before, so this is actually my first foray into a mostly romance based fanfiction. I'll try my best to keep things going at a steady, believable pace, but do note that this may not be perfect.**_

 _ **And as always, remember to leave a review!**_


	3. Practice Problems

_I do now own RWBY_

 **Ninja In Love**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Practice Problems**

 **[Beacon Academy – Team JNPR Dorm – Balcony]**

Jaune ducked, feeling the _woosh_ of his opponent's weapon over his head, causing his hair to actually float up from the force. He rushed forward in an attempt to slam his shield into his opponent, but they were far quicker, rapidly tightening up on the haft of their spear with both hands and twisting around to trip him to the ground. The blond boy fell over and hit the ground, panting and puffing, sweat dripping from his brow. A shadow loomed over him and he looked up with a wry smile to see his partner, one Pyrrha Nikos, standing above him with that sweet, warm smile that promised Jaune that everything would be alright.

"Very good Jaune." The beautiful redhead Spartan explained, holding out a hand to help Jaune to his feet. "Remember to stay on track of your spatial awareness. A strike can come from any angle when you least expect it."

Jaune gave a nervous laugh and nodded. "R-right." He grasped her hand and let her help him to his feet. He dusted himself off and picked up the shealth of Crocea Mors, hitting the switch to fold it back into its sheath form. He sheathed the sword and turned to his still smiling partner. "So we done for the night?"

Pyrrha nodded. "We don't want to be up too late. Besides, I believe you learn more when you're fully rested, and we have been practicing for quite a while. It's already been two hours."

"Has it?" Jaune murmured. Pyrrha turned away to head back into the dorm and Jaune turned to look back out over the grounds of Beacon. His lips drew into a thin line and he slowly sank to the ground, sitting cross legged. He stared out onto the dark grounds, lit only by the silvery light of the shattered moon above.

His internal musings were interrupted when he felt something gently land on his shoulder and looked up to see Pyrrha staring down at him, her emerald eyes filled with concern. "Is there something wrong?"

Jaune gave a laugh and shook his head, his face switching almost abruptly to his usual easygoing smile. "Oh, no, just thinking."

Pyrrha smiled again. "Oh? What about?"

"Well," Jaune began, hesitating for a brief second, "Just thinking about...what I want to do when I graduate from Beacon. I mean, I'll be a Hunter, but what will I do with my career? Should I become an explorer in the Wilds? A guard for one of the cities? A teacher?"

A tinkling, melodic laugh caught his attention as Pyrrha giggled. "Jaune, I'm very happy to hear you have some confidence that you'll graduate, but you've got three more years to figure things out. There's no need to worry about it now."

Jaume nodded. "You're right. Still, I think I'll stay out here for a while. It _is_ rather nice out tonight."

Nodding, Pyrrha removed her hand from Jaune's shoulder and began to walk away once more. "I'd join you, but I'm afraid I have to finish my essay for Advanced Grim Studies."

Jaune waited for the sound of his partner opening and closing the door to their dorm, signaling her absence, before sighing and slumping forward, his expression falling. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not that he was finding it easier to lie to his partner. His future as a Hunter wasn't what he was thinking about at all. No, his issue was one he would not bring up to Pyrrha, because it would only make him feel like he was being ungrateful. For all her generosity and skill in trying to help teach Jaune how to become a better hunter, the past two weeks had shown him something that was starting to wear on his every thought.

That something was the ever encroaching feeling that he wasn't actually getting better. Sure, when he'd first started practicing with Pyrrha some months ago, he could feel himself getting more skilled. Hell, he still remembered the pride he felt when he managed to, just once, actually hit the great Pyrrha Nikos in combat. Okay, she wasn't using her Semblance and she wasn't even really trying, but the fact that he, Jaune Arc, the boy who forged his transcripts and had no previous experience, was able to hit his partner in combat was something he'd always remember. Even Combat Class had gotten better. Sure, he still sucked a big one when it came to fighting other Hunters, but at least the fights versus Cardin weren't ending in a humiliating defeat. The matches were always incredibly close, down to the wire.

However, that was a while ago. The past month had him feeling as though he weren't going anywhere. No matter how hard he trained, he couldn't feel like he was improving any. To make matters worse, he was starting to feel extra guilty lately over how much time Pyrrha was wasting teaching him things he should have already learned. She had been increasingly busy with her Advanced classes, what with studying for tests and homework. He could tell she was getting tired, but of course, his partner seemed damned insistent on continuing to teach him. So between not wanting to appear ungrateful, and not wanting to disappoint Pyrrha, he found himself in the precarious position of feeling stuck, and unable to tell her.

As the feeling progressed, Jaune could feel himself growing more and more despondent. Was this the best he could do? Could he go no further?

 _Don't worry if you come back home, Jaune._

He winced and ran a hand through his hair, shivering. Were his parents right? He wanted to become a Hunter, to make them proud, and yet...the only person who seemed to have any faith in him was Pyrrha. Even he was losing faith in himself, and if he was being brutally honest, he was getting seriously tempted to confess his false transcripts to Ozpin as of late. Sure, he'd been there before, and Pyrrha had managed to talk him out of it, but that was then. Now…

Jaune looked up into the sky at the moon and grimaced. His mind continued to wander the same looping and depressing circle of musings until a loud crash yanked him out of his reverie. Upon turning around so fast, that he swore he gave himself whiplash, he noticed that Nora had apparently somehow brought in a wheelie tray from the cafeteria topped with an inordinate amount of pancakes. With a sigh and a wry smile, Jaune bit down his depressing thoughts and plastered a smile on his face, hoping that it looked convincing before walking back inside.

"Nora...what have I told you about self-room service?"

"Tee hee! Sorry."

 **[Beacon Academy – Library – Next Day]**

It would be a little over a week until Blake would find herself talking with Jaune in the little Nook that they both enjoyed reading in. She'd managed to chat with him a little via text, simply to let him know that she would try to see if she could change her schedule around so she could have more free reading time. Luckily, Goodwitch seemed amicable that day, and she was able to move a couple classes around so she too had a free period. The strange thing was, however, that changing her classes had the unintended consequence of landing her with a lot of the same classes that Jaune was taking.

Thanks to that little bit of scheduling, she began to notice something, more specifically something about Jaune. It wasn't as if she was purposefully trying to watch him, it was just something that she'd notice every time her golden eyes would flicker over Jaune's form when she gazed about the classroom. She tried to ignore it, but it kept getting worse as the week went by, to the point where she couldn't stop looking at him. It was a relief that he seemed too distracted to notice her gaze, but the fact remained.

She could tell Jaune was depressed. _Something_ was causing him internal trouble. As someone who'd spent too long plastering fake smiles onto her face, she could easily tell when Jaune was doing the same, and she'd been noticing the false, plastic-y grin that he'd plastered onto his face when he was around his team. If she had to be honest, it was starting to get to her that none of his team seemed to notice his false joy. Didn't Pyrrha notice how fake he looked when he was trying to smile? Didn't she see the way that his gaze would occasionally stare out into space, his hands gripping the side of the table during meal times, expression unmoving?

By the time she was able to enjoy her first free period, she was a woman on a mission. She told herself over and over that she wasn't going to get involved in Jaune's problems, but after seeing how no one else seemed to notice how torn he was, she was getting tired of seeing him so depressed. Hell, it was kind of depressing her! Besides, she _did_ say she wanted to become better friends with him, so perhaps helping him out with whatever was bothering him would aid her in that goal. Still...even if he did tell her what his problem was, was she sure she could help him? She didn't exactly have her own life in order, even as far as dating went. _Whatever. If it's his dating life he's concerned about, I'll just push him closer to Pyrrha. Or outright tell him Pyrrha wants him inside of her, whichever solves the problem._

With her usual silent gait, she stepped purposefully through the Library, greeting the librarian, a young man with a gray flatcap and a Van Dyke goatee, and making her way to the Nook in the corner of the library. As she approached the Nook, her footsteps slowed further and further until she found herself standing still just around the corner of the Nook. The light was on, so she could tell that Jaune was there. _What do I say? It's obvious he's going to just try and pretend like nothing is wrong. Besides, why would he bother to tell_ you _his problems, when he has just started to get to know you?_ She took a breath and poked her head around the corner. Sure enough, Jaune was sitting on the beanbag chair. His knees were up close to his body, and his head was resting on one arm atop his knees, his other hand loosely draped at his side, a comic book in hand.

Blake pulled back and sighed silently. _If someone was trying to figure out what was wrong with you, how would_ they _go about it?_ Her conscious mind rifled through her memories for a few moments, a small wry smile finding its way upon her lips. If she and Jaune were similar in how they dealt with problems, bottling them up until they could hold it no longer, then she'd have to take a page out of her team's book, and force it out of him. She stepped forward once more.

"Jaune?"

Like the first time they met in the Nook, Jaune jumped in place in shock, his blue eyes wide. "B-Blake!" He gripped his chest, grimacing. "You scared me!" He stood up and moved to the side automatically, slumping down against the wall of the Nook. Blake stared at him, amused, as she occupied the seat that he'd just vacated. _Even when he's depressed he's quite the gentleman. It's just like how Musashi never faltered from the code of the swordsman- wait, no! They are not alike! What the hell?_

She shook her head vehemently and turned to see Jaune looking down at his comic. It was open, and his eyes were down at it, but Blake knew his mind wasn't in on it. "So."

Jaune looked up and cocked an eyebrow. "Y-yeah?"

"What's wrong?"

The blond boy gave a very forced laugh and scratched the back of his neck. "W-why would you say that?" He stared as Blake gave him an extremely deadpan glance, obviously in disbelief. "Look, there's nothing-"

"Nothing wrong? You might be able to fool Pyrrha, but I can easily tell something's been wrong with you all week."

Jaune recoiled, eyes widening. "Wait, what?"

Blake smirked. "You might be able to fool your team, but you do realize that when you're in a class in which your team isn't there, you show your emotions quite clearly. You look like a family member just died."

"I-wait...I do?" Jaune queried. Blake nodded and Jaune gave a strangled noise. "Alright, fine, I do have a problem, but it's no big-"

The cat girl cut him off, even as she began rooting around in her school bag for Ninjas In Love III: Ropes of Love. "No big problem? So you're telling me that little things get you so down that you can barely pick your head up off your desk during Professor Port's class?"

"To be fair," Jaune murmured, "It's hard to stay awake during his class."

"I'd agree with you," Blake opened up her book to where her special black velvet bookmark saved her place, "If you were sleeping, which you aren't."

Jaune huffed in irritation, and for a brief moment, Blake wondered if she'd gone too far in pushing him. "Look, it's fine, alright? It's just a really stupid problem, and I have no one to blame for it but myself."

"If it really isn't that bad, then why would you go out of your way to hide it from your team?" Blake continued to push, gazing at him out of the corner of her eye.

"I..." Jaune slumped forward. "Look, I really appreciate the concern Blake, but...you all have enough problems you're dealing with on your own. The last thing anyone else needs is my stupid issues on top of it."

Blake fell silent. Her gaze ran over the words of her book, taking in the words, but not actually recognizing them. Her mind was too abuzz with thoughts. _I should just drop this. It's obvious he doesn't want any help._ She looked at him from the corner of her eyes and froze. _No. It's not that he doesn't want help, he just thinks his problems aren't worth anyone's attention._ Her lips turned down and she felt a twinge of sadness rush through her. _He looks so miserable._

Jaune's head was once again face down, but she could still see what expression was on his face. He was completely depressed, his eyes dull and unfocused. She could take it no longer. "Just because other people have problems doesn't mean that yours aren't worth the help." Blake explained softly, putting down her book.

"Trust me, Blake, it isn't. My problems are my fault and I have no right to complain to anyone about them."

Blake bit her lip. Her problems were her fault as well, but that hadn't stopped her team from still helping her. She might have been an ex-terrorist, but now she had friends who supported her, friends who wanted to help her. The Faunus girl's expression hardened. It was time to pay it forward. Right now, Jaune needed help, and if she turned her back on him, then who else would he turn to? If his own partner couldn't figure out, and he wasn't willing to tell anyone, then it would only be a matter of time before the poor boy broke.

" _Why then, should we care about their problems?"_

Blake shook her head. _No. You're wrong Adam. How can we expect people to care about us, if we turn a blind eye to those around us?_ She gazed at Jaune and clenched her hand, her nails biting into the palm of her hand. _Think about it. Even Musashi needed help from Shinobu. If she can help another, despite her past...then so can I._ "I get it." Blake murmured, trying to sound disappointed.

"Hm?" Jaune looked up at her, cocking an eyebrow. "What...do you mean?"

"It's fine, I get it. You don't trust me." Blake picked her book back up, gazing down at it as she tried to hide a smile.

"W-w-what?! N-no, that's not it!" Jaune waved his hands in front of him, blue eyes widening in a panic.

Blake had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from laughing at how easy it was to start manipulating Jaune. Apparently he was exceptionally weak to the 'guilt trip' attack. _I should file that way for later. I'm sure Pyrrha would be happy to know that little tidbit of information._ "No, no, look, it's fine." Blake adopted a sad expression, turning away from Jaune so he wouldn't see her trying not to smile. _Time for the coup de grace._ "I mean, I'm sure you don't want to have to be comforted by a Faunus..."

"T- _that's not it!_ " Jaune shouted jumping to his feet.

" **SHHHH**." The voice of the librarian could be heard from all the way by the desk at the front of the library, causing Jaune to blush with embarrassment.

Jaune slumped back to the ground and groaned. "Look, Blake, I don't want to waste your time, that's all!"

"Why don't you tell me," Blake replied softly, turning back to Jaune, "And I'll figure out what I think about it _after_ I hear what the issue is?"

His response was a deep sigh, then; "Alright. It's...I...I'm just worried."

"About what?"

"I've been practicing all this time with Pyrrha, and lately I just feel like...I don't know, I just feel like I'm not going anywhere. Like I'm just spinning my wheels and wasting Pyrrha's time. I keep worrying that this is the best I can do. Like..." Jaune trailed off, unable to meet Blake's gaze. "Like I really don't belong here."

Jaune found himself being met with silence before he felt something gently touch his shoulder. He turned his head to see Blake having leaned in close, her hand resting softly on his arm. "Have you told Pyrrha about this?"

"How can I?!" Jaune asked. "She's done so much for me already, and I bring that up? I might as well tell her, 'Hey Pyrrha, I know you've been working yourself to the bone trying to teach me stuff I should already know, but I just don't think that your teaching is good enough!'" Jaune groaned and ran a hand down his face. "She shouldn't have to waste her time with all of this! Just because I was too late to actually join a damn Combat School!"

Blake blinked. "Wait, what?"

Jaune froze and his eyes widened, face going pale. He slowly turned to her, trembling. "I...I...oh god..."

"Jaune?" Blake tilted her head. "What are you talking-" The young blond boy cut her off and jumped to his feet, obviously in a blind panic, grabbing his school bag and literally running off like a Beowulf was on his heels. Blake leaped to her feet as well, her hand out stretched, worry written across her face. "Jaune, wait!" She stood there, watching as Jaune rushed out of the library, running for his life. Blake hung her head, suddenly feeling hurt.

 _What...what just happened? What did he mean he never went to a Combat School?_

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: The next chapter is set up! Once the next chapter of Moonlit Sonata is finished being beta read, expect that being updated soon as well! Hoo boy, poor Jaune let the cat out of the bag, pun fully intended, and now Blake is aware that something isn't right with Jaune. Can she figure out the truth? Will she ever realize just how much Musashi and Jaune have in common? Why is the reporter from the Phantom Nevermore: Moonlit Sonata the librarian at Beacon? Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!**_

 _ **And remember to leave a review!**_


	4. Initial Impressions

_I do not own RWBY_

 **Ninja In Love**

 **Chapter 4: Initial Impressions**

"Jaune!"

Blake took off running after Jaune. She knew that she could catch up to him easy; she was not only in better shape, but years of infiltration work and being part of the militaristic White Fang had given her quite the edge in terms of athleticism. Breezing past the shelves, she could see Jaune running past the library doors, and when he turned his head to gauge his path, she could see a look of utter panic and despair written across his features. She was taken a back for a brief moment, gold eyes widening. _Was he...crying?_ Her expression hardened and she began running faster, trying to catch up with him. She didn't mean to hurt him. Sure, she could just turn away now, but…

 _What kind of person would I be if I did that?_

Jaune ran down the hallway, shouldering past people and earning irritated glares and shouts of anger, but he ignored it. He didn't know where he was going to run to, but he needed to get away. He'd slipped up; he'd told someone else about his lack of training. _Blake is going to hate me! Oh god, what if she tells Ozpin?_ He began to slow down, both from being out of breath and the full impact of what he'd just done hitting him. Staggering to the side, the young blond slumped against the wall and whimpered.

"Jaune!" Blake's voice rang out. She noticed Jaune wincing and he turned around. He looked even more miserable than he was before. "Jaune, please, hold on." The Faunus walked up next to Jaune, who couldn't seem to pick his gaze up to meet her own. "Look, there's nothing wrong with not having official Combat School experience. I personally don't have official records..."

The young man slowly raised his head, and smiled a small, bitter smile. "Sure, but I bet at least _you_ belong here. I...I don't."

Blake glared. "Don't say that-"

Jaune cut her off, glaring back at her. "It's true! I..." he paused. "I...I forged my transcripts. I never had any formal training. When I say I don't belong here..." He glanced back up at her with a timid look. "I meant it."

Silence was the only answer he received from Blake, her face contorted in thought. One of her hands grabbed onto her bicep and she bit her lip, looking away. Jaune looked at her, trying to gauge her expression, feeling more depressed the longer she remained quiet. Seconds ticked by, then minutes, until Jaune could take it no longer. With his shoulders slumped and his chest constricting, he turned away and began walking down the hall. It was time. If he didn't say anything, Blake certainly would. He'd have to confess everything to Ozpin.

"Where are you going?" Blake's voice spoke up from behind him.

"I...I'm going to tell Ozpin. I mean, that...that's what you're going to tell me to do, right?" Jaune's voice sounded weak and hollow even to his own ears.

"What... _NO!_ " Blake cried out, eyes wide.

"Why not?" Jaune mused sadly. "Look, you don't have to mince words. I get it. I...I can't do it..."

 _Don't worry if you come back home, Jaune._

" _That's not it!_ " Blake snapped, stepping forward to grab Jaune's arm. "Look, I...if anything, I'm honestly impressed."

Jaune turned around and blinked, his expression betraying his complete confusion. "Wait. What?!"

"Think about it, Jaune. How long have you been here, at Beacon? About half a year?" Blake explained. Her bow twitched as she tried to listen for anyone who might be approaching. So far, the coast appeared clear.

"Erm...less than two semesters, yeah. What's your point though?"

Blake sighed and rolled her eyes. "Think about it. You went from some horrible home training, to being able to at least fight relatively competently against most Grimm we've encountered thus far in only six months."

"Actually, about that..."

"About what? Pyrrha said you've been able to fight Ursa with relative ease now. That's a far cry from what you were when you first got here." Blake explained, slightly raising a single eyebrow.

"Oh, not about that. About the training...I...um..." Jaune sheepishly scratched the back of his head, his cheeks adopting a pinkish tinge in embarrassment. "I kinda didn't have any training what-so-ever when I first got here."

Silence once again fell between the two.

Then; "What."

Jaune winced at the sheer flat tone of voice Blake spoke with. "I know, I know! It's terrible. It's not like I didn't try, but my father wouldn't teach me anything! Nor would my sisters for that matter! No one would!" Jaune hurriedly spoke, trying to placate what he though would be Blake's incurring wrath. "I know coming here without any previous training was dangerous, but how else could I become a Hunter?" Finally the blond sank to his knees again with a sorrowful groan. Head hanging once again, Jaune spoke up one last time. "It's not like it matters. Like I said; I'll tell Ozpin everything."

"Jaune, you're not getting it, are you?" Blake muttered, shaking her head.

"Not getting what?!" Jaune got to his feet, slightly glaring at Blake. "I shouldn't be here. I forged my transcripts! Me being here is only putting everyone around me in danger, and I still can't catch up to everyone despite all the training that I've-"

Blake stepped forward, swinging her hand with blurring speed at his face. _SMACK!_ "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and think for five seconds!" The faunus girl yelled, grabbing him by the shoulders and staring into his surprised, shocked and slightly worried gaze. "If you stop comparing yourself to everyone around you and think about how far you've come when you've started off with nothing, you'll realize that you've managed to come absurdly far in such a short period of time!"

Cheek still stinging, Jaune's mouth opened and closed silently for a few moments before he managed to catch his voice. "Wait, what?"

"Look," Blake began, "I'm not saying that you're the best by a long shot. You've got a long ways to go, even to catching up to most of us. _However,_ you're also, well..." She let him go, shrugging. "You're average. I know that sounds like I'm damning with faint praise, but think about the fact that you started off where most Beacon students started off over four years ago. What I'm trying to say is, giving up now would be a disservice to everything you've done so far. If anything, giving up now would be more insulting to Pyrrha's efforts than outright stating that you feel like you're going nowhere." Blake finished, watching Jaune closely to gauge his reaction.

Nervously, the blond coughed and blinked. "So...you're...you're not going to..."

"I won't say a thing, Jaune." Blake responded. "You should know; I have my own secrets to keep. I mean, you haven't said a thing about my bow, so why would I say anything about you?"

"It's different!" Jaune cried out, "Your secret isn't possibly causing harm to those around you through inaction! I'm a leader; if I fail, I'm not the only person hurt by it!"

Blake gave an almost bitter laugh. "Perhaps this isn't my only secret? Regardless, you are stronger than you think. Look, you said you feel like you aren't going anywhere, right? Maybe you just need a different perspective on things."

"Hm?" Jaune looked visibly relaxed by this point, much to Blake's relief. "Different perspective?"

"Look, Pyrrha has a certain method of teaching, I'm willing to bet. A certain way of going about things. You could have someone else watch you fight and from there, figure out what things you need to work to improve upon."

"A good idea," Jaune muttered with a frown, "but where would I find someone to help me? Goodwitch isn't exactly helpful, and I don't think any of the other Professors would be willing to help, especially not without asking a bunch of questions."

Blake sighed. "I can help."

Jaune waved his hands before him, blue eyes widening. "I-I can't have you do that!" He exclaimed, "It's bad enough Pyrrha wastes her time helping me to catch up with everyone, but I can't have you wasting your time as well!"

"Jaune, I wouldn't have offered if I didn't have the time. We have a free period together and all I'd be doing during that time is reading anyway, which is something I do all the time anyway. Least I can do is give you a hand."

Jaune frowned again. "Are you sure? Look, I'm sure you'd rather be reading, and I don't want to bother you-"

Blake glared. "I'm _sure_. It's either that, or watch you be all super mopey and depressed all the time. Just accept the help when its given, and use someone else' perspectives to help improve yourself. I know you can do it, you just need some extra help, and honestly, there's nothing wrong with that. So stop looking so mopey, and let's go back to the library so we can get some more reading in, alright?"

Silence.

Then Jaune flashed her a smile so grateful and soft, that for a moment, Blake found herself oddly taken aback. "Sure. Thanks, Blake."

She turned away from him, fighting the urge to smile. "Don't mention it. Come on, we've only got half an hour of break left."

 _ **Author's Note: So, a very short update, but I might try to update certain stories more often with shorter chapters as an experiment. It might help with my constant distraction what with all the awesome video games I've been getting my hands on. Fallout 4, Dark Souls 3, Hyper Light Drifter, Hyrule Warriors Legends...yeah. I'm gonna be busy. Again, I know it's a short chapter, but I might start updating more often with short chapters.**_

 _ **As always, remember to leave a review!**_


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